Cape Leeuwin to Cape Le Grande

We are travelling through Norseman, about to turn right on to the western end of the Nullarbor Plain and commence the run east into South Australia. When we get to Ceduna, we plan to travel down the Eyre Peninsula to have a look at Smoky Bay, Streaky Bay and maybe sample the oysters and fishing, then Port Lincoln and back up the other side to Port Augusta. From there it is home by the direct route through Broken Hill and Dubbo, home by about mid-November.

The last blog post was way back at Flinders Bay, Augusta, in the bottom left corner of the continent, virtually in the shadow of the tall lighthouse of Cape Leeuwin. It’s a bit tardy, I know, to have no blog post right across the south-west coast of WA but we have been in National Parks most of the time and only briefly in the larger places with access to the net. So much to see and do.

In the attached photos you will see the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse (we climbed to the top and it was HIGH up - 176 steps)) and some of our activities along the way. You will see only a scattering of photos (there are too many), through Pemberton and the Walpole-Nornalup forests of enormous trees, the magic little Peaceful Bay, so aptly named where we stopped for a while, Albany to visit our friends Bob and Lesley, Esperance and finally the Cape Le Grande national park where we have been for the past week.

We weren’t leaving until the morning of Monday 29 October, but the weather forecast is for rain and strong winds for the next week, so we cut and run Sunday afternoon to pack a dry annex and try to get ahead of it across the Nullarbor.  So it is Sunday night and we are camped at Salmon Gums with the plan to stop at Norseman long enough to post this blog (if there is net access) and then get on our way across the Nullarbor.

... Now Monday morning, at Norseman. There is net access. It is overcast, 7.45am, and looks like the weather is brewing up, so a few photos and we will get on the road. We will put something more complete together further on, in South Australia.

The Lighthouse at Cape Leeuwin

View from the top

Dont look down (the expressions would change)

Some sheep in Margaret River, for the kids

Karri Forest at Karridale, Margaret River

One for John, at Pemberton

The little steamer - needs some attention, John

Suspension bridge in the forests near Pemberton

Stop rocking it!

A bit more substantial - the Tree Tops Walk in the Walpole-Nornalup NP

The highest point

This one moves about too - designed to give you the feeling of swaying about in the tree tops (and it does!)

You really are a long way up

The "Grandma Tree" - a 400 year old Tingle . Can you see the face?

A "burl" - these are popular to slice through for polished table tops (They actually had one sawn off and stolen near the entrance to this national park)

Choosing a couple of Marron

Back at the camp at Peaceful Bay, cleaning the Marron

Marilyn in charge of the fire (that's a crossword book!)

The 2 Marron ready for the meal

Marilyn and Bob at The Gap, Albany

At the Banksia Farm, Mt Barker near Albany

The Banksia Farm boasts a complete collection of Australian Banksias, and has featured in the ABC TV program Gardening Australia, a couple of times

Lucky Bay, in Cape Le Grande National Park. More from here next blog